Just Friends
by iwannagibbs
Summary: A short one shot involving Gibbs and Holly Snow.


A/N Just a short one I have been toying with for a while. I liked the episodes with Holly Snow and thought there was nice chemistry between her and Gibbs.

**Just Friends**

"DiNozzo, you and McGee take the truck. Ziva you're with me."

Jethro Gibbs and his MCRT team were in Norfolk, VA closing up an investigation at the Naval Station. It had been a long three days and everyone was tired and more than ready to go home.

"Got it Boss. See you at the Navy Yard." Tony DiNozzo and Tim McGee climbed into the MCRT truck while Gibbs and Ziva headed to the sedan.

Gibbs tossed the keys to Ziva who caught them easily and looked at him with surprise. "You want me to drive?"

"I gave you the keys didn't I?"

"You always drive. Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Agent David is it a problem for you to drive because if it is I can call DiNozzo and you can go in the truck."

"No problem."

The two of them got into the sedan and started the long drive back to DC. They were silent for about ten minutes before Ziva couldn't stand it any longer.

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"Ziva!"

"Then why am I driving? I have been with you for a few years now and I can only remember driving you maybe three times."

"Don't make me regret letting you drive this time."

Ziva sighed and resigned herself to not knowing what was going on with her boss. That was certainly not unusual but sometimes she could get him to talk to her. Apparently tonight was not going to be one of those times. She thought back over the last few days and tried to figure out if something had happened that she missed taking note of at the time. Nothing came to her mind. She did recall seeing Gibbs making a couple of phone calls today that she didn't think were related to the case. For the last few months she had noticed a small change in her boss and she had wondered to herself if perhaps he had a lady friend none of them knew about. She hoped that was the case; Gibbs needed someone in his life to love and who loved him. At least Ziva thought so.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence and Gibbs closed his eyes and relaxed, confident in Ziva's ability to get them safely home. The reason Gibbs was letting his newest agent drive was that he was distracted and tired and didn't want to have to focus all his remaining energy on dealing with northern Virginia traffic. And, he wanted to think about what was waiting for him at home. At least what he hoped was waiting; he wasn't sure at this point if she would be there or not and that was part of his distraction.

Jethro Gibbs was supremely confident in his professional life and almost as confident in his personal life but he knew he'd made a mistake in the latter and he wasn't sure what the consequences were going to be. He was going to find out in a few hours though. For now all he could do was think and worry and remember. He let his mind drift back six months to when it had all begun.

They had worked a case involving a call girl whose boyfriend turned out to be a serial killer. Their big break in the case came when he enlisted the help of Holly Snow who had been the girl's "employer" before Ms. Snow's arrest in another case. Ms. Snow was a well known madam in DC and Gibbs had discovered her involvement in a murder for hire scheme some months prior to the serial killer case. She received a suspended sentence for her part in that case and was doing community service when Gibbs tracked her down and convinced her to help him find the killer. That arrangement had come at a cost; Gibbs had to promise to grant Ms. Snow one wish. He hesitated, even told her it was a deal breaker, but in the end he agreed and together they found the killer.

Actually, the killer found her first and Gibbs had to rescue her just moments before the killer slit her throat. He had taken a real measure of satisfaction in shooting the man as he threatened Holly with knife in hand. Afterward, Gibbs held her as she sobbed in relief. He could still remember how that had felt. How she seemed to fit perfectly against him. How she had clung to him in fear and gratitude. He dismissed those feelings at the time so he could get on with his case and his life. Then she had called to collect on their agreement.

Dinner, with him, no one else, no expectations and no promises. That was what she had wanted. Gibbs was reluctant but a deal was a deal and he could not turn her down. He didn't want to turn her down. They had eaten steak at his house. He cooked for her and she was impressed. She said it was the best steak she'd ever had. Then her phone rang and she said she had to go. He tried to hide his disappointment but he doubted he'd been successful. When she left she kissed him on the cheek and told him they were friends. He liked that.

Two weeks later Holly called him at work and asked if he'd have dinner with her at her home. Curious as to what was behind that invitation he agreed. She fixed a delicious chicken and pasta dish that Gibbs had two helpings of. When he asked her why she invited him she said because they were friends and she liked being with him. They talked about current events, the weather, sports; everything but themselves. Gibbs enjoyed himself very much that night and they agreed to do it again soon. The next week he finally got up the courage to call her and they ate Chinese in his basement while he showed her the beginnings of his newest boat.

After that they had dinner together once a week either at his house or hers. Most often she cooked which was a real treat for Gibbs because otherwise he tended to exist on take-out and coffee with some bourbon thrown in for balance. The night of the fifth time they'd shared a meal Gibbs kissed her goodnight. After their seventh dinner date she kissed him back. From then on he kissed her hello and goodbye and she always kissed him back. Sometimes she kissed him between hello and goodbye. Not always, but sometimes. Those nights Gibbs went to bed a very happy man.

Two months after their first dinner together, they began talking about their pasts. Gibbs found Holly to be very easy to talk to. She was an attentive listener and he found himself telling her things he normally didn't discuss with anyone. She found it difficult at first to talk to him about her professional past but once she realized he wasn't judging her or waiting to hear some juicy tidbit of information on a famous person she began to trust him. These were very personal and sometimes painful memories they were sharing but each time they were together it got easier for them to be honest and forthcoming. After three weeks of them talking about personal stuff, Gibbs realized that Holly was the first person in a very long time that he trusted enough to let through his vaunted emotional defenses. He never felt she would use what he told her against him anymore than he would do that to her.

By their fourth month of regular dinners they both trusted the other completely and were totally at ease together. Gibbs loved spending time with Holly because she was always honest with him. Plus, she was a great cook and she didn't have to talk all the time. They spent a lot of time just being together, watching movies or working on his boat or just talking about their day. Gibbs wondered where they were going in terms of a relationship but for some reason neither of them brought that topic into the conversation. They had defined themselves as friends in the beginning and so far they seemed to be content with that characterization. He was not going to rock the boat.

Most importantly, he was not going to push Holly. He made up his mind after about three dinners that he wanted her to know he respected her and liked her as a person and didn't think of her in terms of her past profession. Gibbs knew of course that she had undoubtedly been with any number of men, some of them very prominent and very powerful. He didn't bother to compare himself to them and he wanted to somehow let Holly know that he didn't look at her as simply a beautiful woman he wanted to take to bed. Admittedly, he thought about that in the beginning but once he began spending time with her he realized that was not something he could take lightly where she was concerned. She had offered friendship to him and when he accepted that he felt like it would be a betrayal of that friendship to simply have sex with her. If that was ever going to happen for them it would have to be her idea.

As the weeks turned into months and they continued to see each other they fell into an easy routine. They began to talk on the phone occasionally and sometimes they had dinner more than once a week. Holly always called on Tuesday to see what his week was like and they almost always had dinner together on Thursday night. More often than not they ate at his house even if she cooked. For some reason she felt very comfortable there and she had stocked his kitchen with things he hadn't had in the cabinets or refrigerator in years, if ever. If, at the last minute he was called out or was going to be late, Holly usually waited for him and they ate whenever he got home. It was an easy, uncomplicated routine they both enjoyed.

When football season rolled around Gibbs discovered Holly was a diehard Redskins fan so sometimes their dinners moved to Sunday afternoon or Monday night depending on the football schedule. He was delighted to discover that she knew the difference between a tight end and wide receiver and he actually considered asking her to marry him the night she described the linebacker blitz and zone coverage to him. They had fun watching football because she got very animated and yelled at the television while Gibbs just sat and watched and laughed at her getting so worked up. They shared a hatred of the Dallas Cowboys and Holly promised not to tell anyone that he secretly rooted for the Colts.

They were comfortable, physically, with each other but they had so far not been intimate. This was not from any lack of interest on Gibbs' part but he was determined to stick to his original decision to let Holly call the shots in that area. Sometimes they held hands while they were on the couch together and they almost always sat close to each other. They hugged and kissed hello and goodbye and over the months those two things had become a little bit longer lasting and just a touch more intense. Beyond the occasional foot massage for her or back rub for him though, there was no seriously intimate touching. A lot of nights, after Holly had gone home, Gibbs found himself taking a cold shower before he could go to bed. He often wondered if she had to do the same when she got home.

Gibbs was pulled from his reverie by Ziva asking him if he wanted coffee. He looked around and realized they had stopped for gas.

"Yes, I'll get it. Do you want anything?"

"Could you get me a Coke and some Cheez-Its please?"

"Sure. If you're hungry we could eat somewhere if you want."

"No, I just need a snack. Thank you though."

Gibbs went into the store and got his coffee and Ziva's snack while she filled up the car. He looked at his watch and figured they'd be home in about an hour. He had called Holly twice today but never got in touch with her. They were supposed to have dinner tonight at his place. It was such a routine now he didn't really have to call unless he wasn't going to be there. He had called her last night and left her a message saying the case was wrapping up and he'd be home tonight in time to eat. It wasn't entirely unusual for her not to answer but she did usually call him back. There was a nagging feeling in his gut that something he'd done before he left town had messed them up. All he could do now was wait and see if she was there when he got home.

Ziva was ready and waiting when he got back to the car. When she looked at him he knew she was dying to talk. He trusted Ziva but his personal life was well guarded and he didn't have any intention of changing that tonight.

"You want me to drive?"

"No, I'm fine. You seem to be pretty far away so I think I'd rather drive. Is there anything you need to talk about Gibbs?"

"No. Everything's fine Ziver, I promise. I'm just a little tired and distracted but it's nothing for you to worry about."

"You know you can trust me, right?"

"Yes, I know that. But, I'm fine. If I had something you could help with I'd tell you."

"Okay."

While Gibbs and his team were in Norfolk solving their murder case, Holly was busy with her court ordered community service and her new job. Her community service was almost completed; a fact for which she was very grateful. She was tired of the Sexual Harassment seminars she had been giving to government agencies. She had only two more to give next week at the Agriculture Dept. of all places, and then she would be finished. After that all she had to do was avoid being arrested for the next five years and her record would be expunged. Since she had managed to live her first forty-one years without getting arrested she was confident she could managed five more. She agreed with Gibbs that it wasn't a bad deal considering all she had been involved in both knowingly and otherwise.

Unlike her community service she was very much enjoying her new job. She was working at the National Museum of Art giving classes and tours to children. She loved introducing young people to the wonders of art and found she had a real knack for teaching. The job allowed her to keep a low profile and she was not constantly looking over her shoulder to see who might be watching her. Undoubtedly, some of the parents of the children she worked with knew who she was but her students couldn't have cared less. Walking away from the life she had led before had been difficult but for the first time in a very long time she felt like she was living her life honestly and without hurting anyone.

Becoming involved with Jethro had not been something Holly had expected even after helping him catch the serial killer. Yes, she was attracted to him and yes, she manipulated him into having dinner with her, but she thought that would be the end of it. Rarely had she been so wonderfully mistaken. Now that they had had been seeing each other regularly for over six months Holly knew they were at a crossroads in their relationship. They had started out wary of each other but now she trusted Jethro as she had no other man in her life. Unfortunately, she knew something had to change for them and she wasn't sure how that was going to work out.

They had talked all about their history, other involvements, Jethro's marriages, her business dealings. They defined their relationship as friendship and she had promised herself that was where it would stay. She even made Jethro promise the same thing. Then the night before he left for Norfolk he broke his promise and now she didn't know what to do.

At the same time Jethro and his team were leaving Norfolk, Holly was getting home from work. She knew Jethro was on his way back to DC because she had gotten two voice mail messages from him during the day. It was Thursday and they almost always had dinner together on Thursday nights. He had been on her mind all day and now she knew he would be back in a few short hours so she had a decision to make.

Holly slipped out of her suit and pulled on some comfortable slacks and a cotton tee shirt. Standing in the bathroom brushing out her hair she looked at herself in the mirror and paused. She had to make up her mind about tonight and she had to decide what she was going to say to Jethro when he got home. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and indecision and she didn't like it. She silently cursed Jethro for breaking his promise to her but in her heart she knew she wasn't being fair. She cared for him a lot more than she wanted to admit so she knew she couldn't blame all her worries on him.

When Ziva parked the car at the Navy Yard Gibbs woke up and was pleasantly surprised to see they were back already.

"Did you know you snore?" Ziva smiled at him as she unbuckled her seat belt.

"So I've been told."

They made their way to the squad room and found McGee and DiNozzo preparing to head home.

"You need us for anything Boss?" Tony had his backpack in hand and was ready to head for the elevator if he got the right response from Gibbs.

"No, you guys go home. We'll finish up the paperwork tomorrow.

Tony and Tim happily scooted out of the room and scrambled into the elevator. Ziva sat at her desk and looked at her boss. She knew something was bothering him and she very much wanted to help. After all he was one person she truly trusted and cared for. Her instincts which were rarely wrong told her the Boss was in a funk because of a woman.

"Gibbs, whatever is wrong I am sure she will forgive you."

Gibbs looked at her with a semi glare but it didn't phase Ziva. She just met his gaze and smiled at him.

"It is a woman that you are distracted by, no?"

"Where are you getting this from, Ziver?"

"From you. And because I am a woman. You are clearly bothered by something and it cannot be anything else really. We solved the case, Director Vance has not called you in days, your father is fine. What else could it be but a woman? Unless you are ill. Is that it?"

"Okay, fine. It's a woman. Now can you go home?"

"Maybe you should tell me about it and I can help. It is Ms. Snow is it not?"

"How the hell do you know that?" Gibbs was stunned that Ziva knew about Holly. They had been careful to keep their private life just that; private.

Ziva laughed at his shocked expression, "I am a spy remember. No, actually I watched you two together months ago when she helped us with that murder case. And, I saw her car at your house one night when I came by to talk to you about something. It was very late."

"You haven't mentioned this to anyone have you."

"Gibbs, I am offended! Of course not. Has something gone wrong between the two of you?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe. I said something the night before we left for Norfolk and I'm not sure it was okay. In fact I know it wasn't but I don't know how not okay it was. I haven't been able to talk to her since then."

"Do you want to tell me what you said?"

Just then Ziva's phone rang and she saw it was her aunt calling from Israel. "It's my aunt. Will you wait, please?"

"Yes, go ahead."

While Ziva stepped away to take her call Gibbs leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and remembered what had happened.

_He and Holly had finished dinner and she was cleaning up the dishes while he took out the trash. When he came back in the house he stood in the doorway watching her from behind. They has spent a wonderful evening together and he didn't want it to end. Something was stirring in him, something that hadn't been there for a long time. As he stood watching her loading the dishes in the dishwasher he suddenly couldn't stop himself._

"_I love you Holly." He had said it in such a quiet voice he wasn't sure she could even hear him. He wasn't even sure he'd said it out loud. It was more of a thought than a statement but it had surely come out of his mouth._

_To her credit she didn't drop the glass she was holding. She stopped and stood very still. She didn't turn around for a long time and Jethro found himself holding his breath. As soon as she put the glass in the rack and turned around he started trying to explain._

"_Holly, I. . . "_

_He never got to finish what he was going to say. She walked right up to him and silenced him with two lovely fingers pressed to his lips. He tried to read her eyes but he couldn't. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the mouth then she walked out the door without a word._

_The next morning Team Gibbs was on the way to Norfolk and Jethro had still not spoken to Holly. They had promised each other they would stick to being friends. He had already had too many failed relationships and she was too wary of trusting a man. At least that is what Jethro thought. In reality her reluctance was based on her strong feelings for him and her desire to protect him from the scandal she believed would come from them being openly involved with one another. _

Ziva finished her phone call and returned to her desk. Gibbs was still sitting at his desk and when he saw her coming back he got up.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your car, Ziver."

"Are you avoiding talking about Ms. Snow?"

They stepped into the elevator and Gibbs said, "No, but I need to go home. Look, Holly and I have been seeing each other for a few months now. We're friends and that is the way it was supposed to stay. The other night I told her I love her. She left and we haven't talked about it since then. End of story."

"And you think she is angry at you because you told her you love her? That does not make sense, Gibbs."

"It's complicated."

"I think if this makes her angry she is crazy. Any woman would be lucky to have you love her."

"Thank you Ziva. I don't think my ex-wives would agree with you but I appreciate the sentiment. Don't worry about me Ziver, it will work itself out. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Gibbs. And good luck."

Gibbs drove home without his usual haste. His trepidation was building with every mile that passed beneath his wheels. Normally he was not a man who worried about much but tonight he was very worried that Holly would not be there and he would then have to decide what to do; go look for her or stay home and brood some more. When he pulled into his driveway his heart sank. Her car was not there. He started to back out and drive to her house but he was too tired to do it. He sat in the car for a few minutes and finally got out and trudged to the door. He let himself in and dropped his bag at the foot of the stairs on his way to the kitchen.

That's when he realized there was a delicious aroma of something cooking coming from the kitchen. He smiled and looked around for Holly. She had to be there somewhere; unless gremlins were cooking for him now. Jethro grabbed a beer and headed for the stairs. Sure enough he heard her moving around upstairs. Taking the steps two at a time he was soon standing in the doorway of his bedroom. He could see Holly standing in the adjoining bathroom in her underwear drying her hair. What a sight for sore eyes he thought with a smug grin on his face. He didn't want to startle her and he didn't want to lose the view so he stood very still and quiet for the next several moments. Eventually she turned toward the bedroom and he moved into the room at the same time.

Holly had no idea Jethro was watching her and when she turned to go into the bedroom to get dressed she was surprised to see him stepping into the room.

"Oh, shit you scared me. How long have you been home?"

"Just long enough to get a beer and come up here and find you in my bathroom. You look good in there Holly."

"Thank you and welcome home. I hope you don't mind, I needed a shower and since I came here straight from work. . ."

"I don't mind a bit. In fact, I'd have to say I like seeing you in here. Especially in what you're wearing. I didn't know you were here. Where's your car?"

Jethro found his mouth was dry and he was having some trouble breathing normally. His pants seemed a bit tight all of a sudden. He felt like he was moving in slow motion and it seemed the closer he got to Holly the slower he was moving.

Holly finally realized she was standing in front of him in just her underwear. She smiled at him and reached for a shirt but for some reason she didn't put it on. The look on Jethro's face stopped her. She had been looked at by a lot of men in her day but never with such affection as she saw on Jethro's face now. She wanted nothing more than to be in his arms kissing him. She was having her own breathing issues and couldn't seem to make herself move. Just answering his question was taking all her concentration.

"My car is in the shop so I took a cab. I didn't know when you'd be home so I put something in the oven. It will be ready in about thirty minutes. I missed you this week, Jethro."

"Me too. I was afraid you wouldn't be here tonight."

"We probably need to talk about last week."

Jethro was finally within touching distance and talking was the last thing on his mind. He set his beer down on the nearby dresser and reached for Holly. In an instant she was in his arms and he was kissing her. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and press her body against him. His left hand was on the back of her head and his right was at her waist pressing her as close as he could. By the time they broke the kiss to breathe Jethro knew something had changed for them.

Holly kept her arms around his neck and he let his left hand drift down to stroke her face running his thumb over her lips. Neither of them spoke and soon they were kissing again. This time Holly took the lead and stole Jethro's breath away. Her hands roamed up and down his back and she pressed against him letting him know how very glad she was to see him.

Easing back just enough to look into her eyes, Jethro decided maybe he hadn't screwed up last week after all.

"Are you sure talking is what you want to do right now?"

Holly smiled at him and ran her fingers over his lips. What she really wanted was to get Jethro undressed and onto the bed but first she had to get something clear between them.

"Talking is not the only thing I want to do but it has to come first."

Jethro was letting his hands wander over her unclothed body and was having a very difficult time focusing on anything but the idea that they were about a foot from his bed and Holly was all but naked.

"Okay but I'm warning you, you better make it fast."

"Right. Can we still be friends if you love me, Jethro?"

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. He saw the concern in her eyes and he recognized the serious tone of her question.

"Yes. We are friends and we can stay friends no matter what else happens if we are honest with each other. I trust you Holly. More than any woman since Shannon. I want you to always be my friend but I realized a few weeks ago that I want you to be more than that. I love you and I want to be with you more than just for dinner now and then."

"Good answer because I love you too Jethro. You are the best man I have ever known and the first one I have ever truly trusted with my life and my heart. I want to wake up with you and share all the good and bad times you have. Do you honestly believe we can be friends and lovers too?"

"Of course. You know why? Because we were friends first. And because we both understand how important it is to stay friends. Now, is there anything else we need to get out of the way before I throw you on this bed and show you how much I love you?"

Holly laughed and hugged him. "Just one more thing. If you expect this to take more than twenty minutes you need to go turn off the oven first or dinner will burn up."

"Don't move."

Jethro ran out of the room, down the stairs and was back in under thirty seconds. Holly had not moved. He came in the room pulling his shirt off over his head and kicking off his shoes. He tripped trying to get his pants off and fell right onto the bed. Holly was laughing as she pounced on him and pulled his pants off his feet.

"Very romantic and classy move there Agent Gibbs."

Jethro rolled them over and pinned her hands to the mattress. He leaned down and kissed her slow and deep and for a long time. When he finally let her breathe, Holly slowly opened her eyes and found Jethro smiling at her.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I'm just thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy making love to you in about ten seconds. You make me feel so good, Holly. You have made me a very happy man."

"Well, what are friends for?"

END


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